Sweet deal on golf in Cozumel a reminder that affordable Caribbean golf does exist

In my worldly travels, I come across quite a few golf "deals." These usually turn out to be little more than marketing ploys, but I've come across a good deal on golf in Mexico. In Cozumel, to be precise, in the state with the lyrical name of Quintana Roo.

On this lovely island off the mainland coast, sits the Cozumel Country Club. A little way off is the Playa Azul Hotel, about five minutes from the airport.

Combine the two, and you get to golf "free." Technically, it's not free because you have to pay a $25 cart fee per person, but you can play to your heart's content (36 holes, anyone?) as well as practice on the above-average practice facilities.

The Playa Azul is a nice, little boutique hotel on the beach, with a good spa and a restaurant that's open to the Caribbean Sea.

This isn't one of those all-inclusive places that discourage you from ever seeing "real" Mexicans, but they do throw in a power breakfast buffet. The rooms are cozy enough, and they all have balconies overlooking the pool and water. There's a good beach and a dive shop right next door, which is handy since the reefs here offer world-class diving.

The trick in this deal is having a course you can play multiple times without getting bored, and the Cozumel Country Club does that quite nicely.

It's a touch under 6,700 yards from the back tees, and the Nicklaus Design firm has done a nice job of routing it through coastal island terrain without spoiling the ambience; there are no hotels or condos and only occasionally do you see the hotels rising over the mangroves.

You want to see crocodiles and iguanas? They've got them in spades; in fact, I nearly ran over several, small iguanas that dart over the cart paths that take you through the surrounding jungle. So far, I've avoided the crocs.

Though the golf course isn't overly long, it can be a threat if you aren't accurate, and you look back on several of the holes, wishing you could play them again. If you stay at the Playa Azul, you can do it pretty much as often as you like.

Canadians, always quick to spot a warm-weather deal, flock here in the winter. So should Americans, because it's easy to get to, and once you're out of the tourist zone, you actually get to see locals hand-lining for fish in the Caribbean Sea.

Orlando can be a great place for a family golf vacation, but with expensive attractions such as Disney World and the Mall at Millenia, the wife and kids may run through your wallet so fast there's little money left over for golf. But don't sweat it. The Orlando scene doesn't just offer high-priced resorts and upscale daily-fee tracks. You can play in Orlando on the relative cheap and still have a challenging, fun time.

The U.S. Open has hit Oakmont, Pa., and Pittsburgh is psyched, KDKA sports reporter Jeff Hathhorn tells podcast host Dave Berner. Once again, the USGA has done a number on an Open host course, Chris Baldwin reports. And: What are you getting for Dad this Father's Day?

Tom Doak knows a little something about links golf. The respected course designer spent the summer after his graduation from Cornell University carrying bags at St. Andrews, learning all the secrets of the Old Course. Now Doak is back on the hallowed Scotland seaside, putting his own stamp on links tradition with The Renaissance Club in East Lothian, slated to open next spring. In an exclusive GolfEurope.com interview, Doak talks about his firm's latest project.

The Okanagan Valley is Canada's sunniest spot for a golf vacation. Nestled in a scenic mountain valley beside the cobalt waters of Okanagan Lake, the Okanagan Valley has one of the longest golfing seasons in Canada. The area is blessed with a Mediterranean-like climate of warm and sunny summers, bracketed by the more temperate, but still sunny, spring and fall seasons. For more, go to www.golfcanadaswest.com.

Don't worry about driving around town to make your round. Roll out of bed and onto the tee. At Beau Rivage, enjoy one night of lodging, two rounds of golf and a southern breakfast starting at just $149 per player.